United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a country on the Persian Gulf, touching Saudi Arabia and with a capital city of Abu Dhabi and population of less than five million, three-quarters of which are foreign workers. It is made up of seven, oil rich states that came together in 1971 when the British gave up control. UAE has a liberal attitude toward other beliefs and cultures and is a popular site for tourism. [1][2]

U.S. public relations consultants

The U.S. Emirates Alliance paid the Harbour Group firm more than $900,000 for six months of PR work in 2008, to promote of Kalima, the UAE's cultural initiative, on behalf of its U.S. Embassy and the UAE Government. "Reps from Kalima participated in the Library of Congress' National Book Festival that was hosted by First Lady Laura Bush in September [2008] on the National Mall," reported O'Dwyer's. Harbour also promoted the UAE's "openness and interfaith matters" to the American Jewish Committee, "pitched media about an urban planning event at the embassy, discussed the impact of investments made by sovereign wealth funds on U.S. jobs and talked about UAE aid to Iraq." [3]

Media

Dubai aspires to be a regional and international centre for television and media services, alongside Egypt and Lebanon. An Electronic Commerce and Media Zone Authority was created in 2000 to attract regional and international media outlets. Dubai Media City and its counterparts offer two key advantages: tax benefits and freedom of speech.

Major media organisations - including Reuters and Sony - and publishers, artists and writers have moved in. Established satellite broadcaster MBC relocated to Dubai Media City from London. The constitution provides for freedom of speech but there is strong regulatory and political control of media content.[2]

Examples of public relations in United Arab Emirates

Zayed University in the United Arab Emirates and University of Georgia in the U.S. got together for a little student exchange. Nine students from the UAE visited the U.S. and talked with University of Georgia students about advertising and public relations. The article goes on:

Abby Blaylock, president of the student chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America, led the discussion, but she was quickly joined by other students who wanted to share experiences. When the nine students arrived at the University of Georgia campus in Athens, they were beginning a two-week study tour that would take them to four other universities in Georgia and South Carolina. For many of the students, it was a first-ever visit to the United States.[4]

The book, Women and Public Relations Education and Practice in the United Arab Emirates, by Pamela J. Creedon talks about the history of PR in the Middle East. The book abstract says:

Examines survey research on the United Arab Emirates public relations practice. Details the process of establishing a public relations degree program at the United Arab Emirates University and selection of a curricular model. Examines the status of women in Emirati culture and their future role in public relations.[5]

A paper by Mohamed Kirat, Public relations in the United Arab Emirates: The emergence of a profession, talks about the growing business of PR in United Arab Emirates:

The making of the public relations profession in UAE has been affected tremendously by the socio-economic, educational and cultural development of the country. Ministries and government administrations established their in-house public relations departments and sections to respond to the growing demands of their various publics. Journalism and Mass Communication departments launched PR programs to meet the growing needs of the job market with qualified practitioners. International public relations agencies chose Dubai as a base for their activities in the UAE and the region. The future of public relations in the UAE is very promising.[6]

A job website, that is hoping to become the biggest such site in United Arab Emirates, lists its PR jobs and has this to say:

Right now we're working extremely hard to become the biggest jobsite for Advertising/Marketing/Public Relations Roles jobs in United Arab Emirates ...[7]

Foreign military bases in UAE

The conservative president of France Nicolas Sarkozy visited UAE in January 2008 and the French government announced that France will set up a permanent military base in UAE. As part of the agreement, France will help set up a nuclear power plant in the country. [8][9]